1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to exterior racks that attach to a vehicle, and more particularly to a latching rack system that attaches to a receiver hitch on a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Many vehicles, such as cars, trucks, vans and sports utility vehicles, are equipped with a receiver hitch for towing trailers or supporting exterior racks or accessories. The receiver hitch socket provides a strong and secure method to mount a variety of accessories, carriers or racks at the rear of a vehicle. The access to the receiver opening is difficult for many, however. In order to install a ball mount or a rack, the user must align a square shank with the receiver opening for insertion. This can be difficult if the rack is heavy or if the user must bend down to the level of the receiver. Once the shank is aligned and inserted, a lock pin must be placed in the receiver socket and through the shank. The location of the lock pin aperture is typically under the rear of the vehicle where the user must assume a crouching posture that exposes them to dirt, grime, grease or wetness on the underside of the vehicle from the road or ground environment. For users with disabilities or joint problems, this posture and procedure is impossible and they must seek assistance. The ball mount or rack is also exposed to dirt, grime, grease or wetness from the road or ground environment during use. Each time a user desires to change or remove the ball mount or rack, they must access the receiver lock pin and handle the ball mount or rack. The difficulty of these procedures encourages users to leave their racks attached even when not in use which imposes a public nuisance when walking around the vehicle. Users who find the swapping of dirty, heavy ball mounts and receiver racks difficult, inconvenient or impossible desire a better system.
Most existing receiver rack systems are designed for a single purpose, such as a bicycle carrier or a ski rack. Typically the ball mount or receiver opening must be accessed to change to a different rack.
One type of popular rack is equipped with a square horizontal shank at the bottom that fits directly into the receiver hitch socket. In order to install the rack, the user must support the rack and align the shank precisely to insert into the receiver opening. This is difficult with a heavy cumbersome rack. Swapping the rack with a ball mount is necessary to change from rack support to towing a trailer with the associated problems discussed above.
Another popular rack type fastens to a ball mount, typically by screwing the hitch ball over a horizontal flange at the bottom of the rack. This configuration requires the user to simultaneously hold and align the rack while tightening the nut with a wrench under the hitch ball with the ball mount inserted. Alternately, the flange is installed on the ball mount first with a wrench and then with the rack attached, the ball mount is inserted into the receiver as described above. Again, the user is exposed to a cumbersome process and conditions on the underside of the vehicle. Additionally, horizontal flanges as the sole support element of a rack are subject to flexing due to strong lateral and torsional forces and oscillations during vehicle operation which results in severe swaying of the rack and load.
Some racks use a releasable flange on the ball mount to remove the rack from the ball mount or tilt the rack for convenience. To mount or dismount the rack, the ball mount must be accessed. Releasable flange racks typically use removable pins or bolts to connect the post to the flange near the ball mount. These pins are subject to loss and allow vibration and oscillation of the rack during vehicle operation. The ball mount is handled again to remove the flange or change the type of rack.
A further problem with existing racks is lifting heavy objects up and onto a mounted vehicle rack. Users of devices such as wheel chairs or walker aids may not be physically able to lift the device vertically and onto a rack for transport. Other objects are too heavy or cumbersome for a person to safely lift off the ground. For this reason, receiver racks have not been developed for some objects too heavy or cumbersome to lift and secure on a mounted rack.
Another problem associated with many hitch mounted racks is the need to secure the object onto the rack after the object is mounted. This typically requires manipulating straps, cords or clamps. This process is time consuming and sometimes requires repositioning the object and reaching into difficult areas to access. This process must be repeated each time an object is loaded or unloaded from the rack.
A still further problem is that most existing receiver rack systems are designed for larger vehicles. Small vehicles with limited trunk space are ignored when they have the greatest need to attach objects.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a rack system that minimizes or eliminates the need to repeatedly access ball mounts, receiver openings and the underside of a vehicle to mount racks, swap equipment between different racks or change between a towing configuration and a rack configuration. Furthermore a need exists for a rack system that is interchangeable between different rack uses and is easy for a user to mount and dismount from a vehicle. Still further, there is a need for a rack system that can mount and dismount an object reliably and repeatedly without excessive strapping or clamping. Still further, a need exists for a rack system that will securely carry a load without excessive sway or vibration during vehicle operation. And further, a need exists for a rack system that can conveniently mount and dismount heavy or cumbersome objects.